MotoGP

There’s a new cowboy in town. DRC’s MotoGP Americas GP review

Maverick shines as Ducati disappoints, here’s how the weekend unfolded

Published

1 year ago

April 19, 2024

There's a new cowboy in town. DRC's MotoGP Americas GP review

The Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas was a thrilling spectacle, with new names emerging, old names making a comeback, and records being shattered. The Circuit of the Americas was the stage for all the action, and here’s a recap of the heart-pounding events that unfolded.

BatMav’s Comeback

Maverick Vinales was a man on the mission. After his DNF in the previous round, it was a picture-perfect weekend for Vinales. On Saturday, he secured the pole at 2:00.864, smashing the all-time lap record around COTA. He conquered COTA on Saturday by winning the sprint race and was all set to do the treble on Sunday. The lights went out in Texas, and instead of a rocket launch from the pole, Viñales suffered a dismal holeshot. Dropping to a lowly 11th on the first lap, the unthinkable seemed a possibility, but the Spaniard didn’t give up and started his comeback. He started picking up off riders with precision, and Viñales clawed his way back into contention. By mid-race, he was breathing down the leaders’ necks, and on Lap 13, the unthinkable became reality. Viñales snatched the lead and never looked back, crossing the line as a dominant victor.
This win etched Viñales’ name in MotoGP™ history as the first rider to win races with three manufacturers – Suzuki, Yamaha, and now Aprilia.

How Vinales finally banished his Yamaha MotoGP demons

Ducati’s Dynasty in Doubt?

The Ducati, the bike to beat on every circuit, faced an unexpected challenge in the Texas heat. While Enea Bastianini secured a valiant podium finish after a late charge, the factory machines of Jorge Martin and Pecco Bagnaia were left wanting. Martin, the championship leader, struggled for grip. In a surprising twist, Martin fell off the podium place and finished in p4 while Bagnaia finished p5. This unexpected turn of events raises the question Is this a one-off blip or are there some serious concerns in the box of the reigning champions?

It was important to be on the podium also here' – Enea Bastianini - Motorcycle Sports

The Shark Attack:

It is safe to say that Pedro Acosta is delivering on the hype that was created around him. He secured a place on the front row in P2. Pedro got a good start on the line and even led the race. Acosta had proper battles with Jorge Martin and Marc Marquez, eventually ending up on the podium in P2 behind Vianles. Acosta’s performance solidified his status as a future star in MotoGP™. His race craft is beyond his years, and his ability to adapt to different tracks is truly impressive. It’s safe to say we can expect to see much more from “The Shark” in the upcoming races.

Pedro Acosta ticks off more milestones as he closes in on first MotoGP win at COTA | BikeSport News

Marquez’s Mishap

The ever-dramatic Marc Marquez had the crowd on the edge of their seats. Leading the race at times. The “Comeback King” looked poised to battle for the podium, showcasing his trademark aggression and never-say-die attitude. However, disaster struck Lap 18 as Marquez lost the front end and tumbled out of contention, shattering his hopes for a win or even a podium.

Marquez post race –
“I’m more disappointed because today the speed was there, the feeling was there, but I had unexpected problems with the front brake during all the race that gave me a lot of difficulties to ride”

Marc Marquez: Brake Problems Cause Crashes, Never Happens on Honda! - RiderTua.com

Are Aprilia and KTM Back in the Mix?

This year, we saw a significant improvement in KTMs. They have a new carbon fiber chassis that is performing brilliantly, as seen in the Qatar GP and the Portuguese GP. COTA offered a different image, with only Pedro Acosta and his GASGAS KTM machine in the top five; the next KTM rider, Brad Binder, finished ninth. Jack Miller finished slightly behind Binder in the Portuguese GP and 13th in the COTA.

Aprilla is another team that has improved with time. Maverick Vinales leads the charge for Noale Factory. Despite Vinales’ crash at the Portuguese Grand Prix, Aprilla had a decent weekend. Vinales piloting his Aprilia was unstoppable at COTA. Aleix has struggled to equal Vinales, but he is not far.

Brad closes difficult COTA weekend with ninth place finish - Brad Binder #33

Yamaha and Honda: Lost at Sea?

Yamaha fans were happy to see Fabio Quartararo in Yamaha overalls for two more years but would not be happy with Yamaha’s performance despite his hefty new contract. He could only manage a 12th in COTA, while on the other side of the box, Alex Rins suffered a DNF in the race. The horror for Honda continues as they scored ZERO points this weekend; only Luca Marini finished the race for Honda. Taka Nakagami, Johann Zarca and Joan Mir all DNF.

Nakagami post race said :
“It’s such a tough moment,” he admitted. “I didn’t expect this pretty bad moment.
“And nobody can solve the problem, nobody can improve it. I don’t know.
“Nothing to say at the moment. I’m disappointed about the performance of… everything… The bike… We are slower than last year.
“This is absolutely impossible to understand.”

With both factories lagging, the question remains: can Yamaha and Honda find the answers to bridge the gap to the frontrunners?

One thing’s for sure the 2024 MotoGP™ season has taken a dramatic turn. Buckle up, because the upcoming races promise to be a nail-biting rollercoaster ride.

MotoGP

MotoGP: Unstoppable Marquez Makes it 93 Wins for #93 in Mugello

Dominant Marc, Vintage Bagnaia and edge of the seat action, MotoGP delivered it all in Mugello.

Published

3 weeks ago

June 27, 2025

Anuj Tripathi

Marc Marquez celebrates on the podium after winning the MotoGP Grand Prix of Mugello

Credits: MotoGP

MotoGP went from Marquez’s backyard in Aragon to Bagnaia’s backyard in Mugello, but the end result was the same: a complete domination by Marc Marquez. This weekend it was made more special as Marquez got his 93rd win in all classes of two-wheeler racing.

93 Wins for #93

Marc Marquez had another dominant weekend in MotoGP, taking yet another Pole, Sprint win, and Grand Prix win at Mugello. After a short winless streak of 4 races, Marc bounced back strong to have 2 dominant weekends in Aragon and in Mugello. In Mugello, however, it was not an easy ride.

During the Sprint race, Marquez had an issue with his bike just as the lights were about to go out, which resulted in Marc dropping places going into Turn 1. But Marc soon made up places, going up to P3 at the start of Lap 3. What commenced was a battle for victory between Marc, Bagnaia and Alex. On lap 4, Marc made the move for the lead, and it was smooth sailing for him afterwards as he converted his 100th GP pole to the sprint win.

MotoGP: Unstoppable Marquez Makes it 93 Wins for #93 in Mugello — Marc Marquez after his sprint win in Mugello. Credits: MotoGP

The GP race on Sunday was a treat to the eyes. The opening laps in Mugello were some of the best we have seen this year in terms of racing. Marc was constantly challenged and overtaken for the lead by his teammate and brother, a proper edge-of-the-seat drama. Ultimately, Marc took the win with his brother following him in P2.

Vintage Bagnaia on Display in Mugello but in Vain

For the first time this year, we saw the Bagnaia we had been expecting to see from the start. When Marquez signed for Ducati, everyone was looking forward to Marquez vs Bagnaia, but that did not happen this year, until Mugello. Pecco was in his vintage mode, taking on Marquez toe to toe and more often than not coming out ahead of his teammate, although eventually it was Marquez who got the better of him. Pecco still had a decent weekend, a P3 in the sprint and narrowly missing out on the podium on Sunday after leading the race early on.

Another Solid Weekend from Alex Marquez

Alex Marquez got his 6th podium of the season and a fourth Marquez 1-2 of the year. Alex did briefly challenge for the win in both races in Mugello, but eventually lost out to Marc, just like everyone else. Currently sitting second in the standings, Alex is 40 points behind his older brother, and there is still a long season to go. Although there have been allegations made after Mugello that Alex does not race his older brother like he races others, if Alex does take on Marc, it will be a championship battle to watch out for.

Di Giannantonio Matches His Best Season in MotoGP in Terms of Podiums

Fabio Di Giannantonio got his second podium of the year, finishing P3 in Mugello, matching his best finish of P3 in Austin earlier this year. The Italian rider had a stellar show on Sunday, charging up to claim the podium, narrowly missing out on P2 as he ran out of laps to chase down Alex. Overall, it is a weekend Diggia will be happy with and will look to build on it for the rest of the season. He currently sits 5th in the standings, only 8 points behind his teammate in fourth.

Up Next: Assen

No time to rest as the paddock moves to TT Circuit Assen for the MotoGP Dutch Grand Prix from 27th to 29th June for the second leg of the double header. Who triumphs in the land of the Dutch? Only one way to find out. Watch all the MotoGP action live in India online on Fancode or on your TVs at Eurosport.

Desi Racing Co. is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X/, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

MotoGP

MotoGP Aragon: Marc Marquez Dominant at His Backyard

Published

4 weeks ago

June 17, 2025

Anuj Tripathi

Marc Marquez at the MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon.

Credits: MotoGP

MotoGP made its way to Aragon, a place that is known as Marc Marquez’s backyard. Marquez demonstrated why exactly. A complete dominance from the Spaniard that saw him take the Pole and sprint win on Saturday, and then a win and the fastest lap of the GP on Sunday. Alex Marquez continued to be at the tail of his brother, finishing second, and Francesco Bagnaia scored a P3 on Sunday, a podium that will do a world of good to the confidence of the Italian before we head to his home turf in Mugello.

Marquez Takes his 4th Win of MotoGP 2025

It’s not often you get to see a masterclass live, in Aragon, that is what everyone watching the Aragon GP witnessed. Marc Marquez had a perfect weekend, leading every session and every lap of the race. This win felt a long time coming, as this was Marquez’s first win since Qatar, which was all the way back in April. But before Qatar was Austin, where Marquez made a big mistake that resulted in him retiring from the race, Marc explained how those mistakes start to creep in and build doubts in the head.

“If we want to fight for the Championship, we cannot have a weekend where we repeat mistakes like we did in Austin. The other ones, okay, but Austin was a big mistake and then today I was very focused. With six or seven laps remaining, I started to think about that mistake. I asked myself, ‘how should I manage the situation?’ But then I was looking the lap time and I was riding on low: 47s without full concentration. Then I decided to increase the speed to be focused again.”

MotoGP Aragon: Marc Marquez Dominant at His Backyard — Marquez takes the win in Aragon. Credits: MotoGP

Confidence Boost for Bagnaia Before Mugello

Bagnaia has been struggling with his GP25 from the start of the season, but the last two races have been very miserable. The Italian rider had a retirement and a 16th place in the previous two GPs, even in the sprint, he only had a lonely P6 in the previous one. However, a P3 in Aragon has done a world of good for Bagnaia. In his own words, he has a confidence boost heading to Mugello, a track where he has always been competitive.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Francesco Bagnaia (@pecco63)

Positives for Joan Mir and Honda

It was the first time for Joan Mir to get back-to-back points finishes riding a Honda. A P7 in Aragon was a very positive result for the factory Honda team, their best this season. It was also Joan’s best finish since his P5 finish at the Indian Grand Prix in 2023. After a few hard years, Honda now seems to be getting back to fighting for points more consistently. They would hope to continue this fight and soon move up the ladder.

Can't keep a good Mir down. Bouncing back with a race full of fights!

🅿️7️⃣ "I gave everything, used all the tools I had to battle with these guys" @JoanMirOfficial

📄 https://t.co/TCGhLRPGMo #AragonGP 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/1bASO4NqT5
— Honda HRC Castrol – MotoGP (@HRC_MotoGP) June 8, 2025

Championship Standings

As things stand, Marc currently sits 32 points clear of his brother Alex Marquez at the top of the standings.

📈 @marcmarquez93 extends his lead in the standings after the #AragonGP #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/AleE8DM0gz
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) June 8, 2025

Up Next

MotoGP heads to Mugello next from 20-22nd of June for the Round 9 of the world championship.

MotoGP

MotoGP Heads to Marquez’s Backyard in Aragon

MotoGP returns after a weeks break, this time in Marc’s backyard in Aragon. Will we see him return to the top step or will we get another unpredictable winner?

Published

1 month ago

June 6, 2025

Anuj Tripathi

MotoGP Heads to Marquez's Backyard in Aragon

Marc Marquez after winning the Aragon GP in 2024. Credits: MotoGP

The FIM MotoGP 2025 championship takes us to Spain for the Aragon GP, the eighth round of the Championship. Spaniard Marc Marquez, who won the 2024 Aragon GP, is heading back to what people call his backyard, currently leading the championship by 24 points. Marquez, famously known as “el tro de Cervera” (Thunder of Cervera), has won 7 races at the iconic track since its inception, once for Moto 2 and 6 times for Moto GP, including 6 poles.

Marc Marquez Looking to Get Back to the Top Step at his backyard

Marc Marquez last won a Grand Prix back in April in Qatar. Since then, he has finished outside the points once and on the podium twice in the 3 races that followed. Coming to Aragon, he would be looking to return to the top step. This is also Marquez’s spiritual home GP, as turn 10 has also been named after him to suggest his dominance at the track with his 7 wins and 4 consecutive wins in the years 2016, ‘17, ‘18, ‘19.

Marc Marquez at MotoGP GP of the Americas — Image credits: MotoGP

Can Fabio get his first win of the year in Aragon?

Fabio Quartararo is on an insane qualifying run, the Frenchman has scored 3 pole positions in the last 3 rounds. Sadly for him, he has converted 0 of them to race wins, even retiring in the last 2. He comes to Aragon after a heartbreak in Silverstone, where he had to retire from a comfortable lead in the Grand Prix due to a technical issue with his holeshot device. Fabio will be looking to finally get himself on the top step of the podium this weekend.

Luca Marini’s Absence in Aragon

Honda Rider Luca Marini, who crashed and sustained multiple injuries during the testing for 8H of Suzuka and was left in intensive care, will not be returning for the Aragon GP. Honda has also decided not to call in any of their reserve drivers, instead, the team will run only Joan Mir for the Aragon GP.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Luca Marini 10 (@lucamarini10)

Bagnaia continues to struggle

Pecco Bagnaia is yet to match Marc’s pace in the factory Ducati, but for the last 2 GPs, he is not matching his own standards. Bagnaia’s results in the previous 2 GPs are a 16th-place finish in Le Mans and a DNF in Silverstone. Bagnaia has struggled with the GP25 from the start of the year and is yet to find his feeling back with the bike again, as he mentioned to the press earlier. But, Bagnaia is still full of confidence as he mentions 2022 when he was 91 points behind the leader and still won the championship eventually. He would be looking to get back to the front this weekend.

Unpredictable as ever: 5 Different Riders have won the last 5 races

When the season started, everyone thought it would be a walk in the park for Marc Marquez after looking at his utter domination early on this year. But, MotoGP has lived up to its unpredictable nature, and we have seen 5 different riders take the win in the last 5 races. It is also important to note that we have also seen 3 different manufacturers take the win as well, including a satellite Honda, something not a lot of people would have placed their bets on. As we head into Aragon, will we get a 6th different winner?